Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débrancher

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The English translation of the French verb “débrancher” is “to unplug.” The infinitive form “débrancher” is pronounced as “day-brahn-shay.”

The word “débrancher” comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (meaning “un-” or “dis-“) and the verb “brancher” (to plug in). It is most often used in daily French to refer to the action of disconnecting or unplugging something from an electrical source.

Here are three examples of using “débrancher” in the imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Chaque soir, je débranchais l’ordinateur avant de me coucher.
    (Every evening, I would unplug the computer before going to bed.)

  2. Quand j’étais enfant, ma mère débranchait toujours les prises avant de partir en vacances.
    (When I was a child, my mother would always unplug the sockets before going on vacation.)

  3. Nous débranchions les appareils électroniques lors des orages pour éviter les surtensions.
    (We used to unplug electronic devices during storms to avoid power surges.)

Table of the Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of débrancher

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je débranchais Je débranchais l’ordinateur. I was unplugging the computer.
tu débranchais Tu débranchais la télévision. You were unplugging the television.
il débranchait Il débranchait le câble. He was unplugging the cable.
elle débranchait Elle débranchait la radio. She was unplugging the radio.
on débranchait On débranchait les appareils. We were unplugging the devices.
nous débranchions Nous débranchions les prises. We were unplugging the plugs.
vous débranchiez Vous débranchiez les lampes. You were unplugging the lamps.
ils débranchaient Ils débranchaient les appareils. They were unplugging the devices.
elles débranchaient Elles débranchaient les prises. They were unplugging the plugs.

Other Conjugations for Débrancher.

Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher (You’re reading it right now!)

Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher

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Débrancher – About the French Imparfait Tense

The French imparfait tense, often called the imperfect tense in English, is used to describe actions or states in the past. It’s primarily used to provide background information, set the scene, or describe habitual or ongoing actions in the past.

NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see our article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation of the Imparfait Tense

To form the imparfait tense in French, you typically take the present tense nous form of the verb, drop the -ons ending, and add specific endings based on the verb group (regular -er, -ir, -re verbs) or use irregular forms for certain verbs.  

For regular -er verbs:

Take the infinitive form (e.g., parler, finir, rendre) Remove the -er ending Add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient 

For regular -ir verbs

Take the infinitive form (e.g., choisir, grandir, finir) Remove the -ir ending Add the imparfait endings: -issais, -issais, -issait, -issions, -issiez, -issaient 

For regular -re verbs

Take the infinitive form (e.g., vendre, attendre, entendre) Remove the -re ending Add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

Description of Past Habits

The imparfait is often used to describe habitual actions or situations in the past. For example: “Quand j’étais enfant, je jouais au football tous les jours.” (When I was a child, I used to play football every day.) 

Background Information

It’s used to provide background information or set the stage for a main event in the past. For instance: “Il faisait beau ce jour-là.” (The weather was nice that day.) 

Mental and Emotional States

It’s employed to express emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations in the past. For example: “J’étais content quand il est arrivé.” (I was happy when he arrived.) 

Ongoing Actions

The imparfait describes actions that were in progress or happening when something else occurred in the past. For instance: “Je lisais un livre quand le téléphone a sonné.” (I was reading a book when the phone rang.)

Points to Note About the Imparfait Tense

Passé Composé vs. Imparfait

The imparfait and passé composé (a compound past tense) are often used together to express the completion of an action in the past (passé composé) and provide context or background (imparfait). For example: “Il regardait la télévision quand son ami est arrivé.” (He was watching TV when his friend arrived.) 

Conditional

The imparfait is used as the base for forming the conditional mood in French. For instance, “Je mangerais” (I would eat) is formed from “je mangeais” (I was eating). 

Si Clauses

In hypothetical or “if” clauses (si clauses), the imparfait is often used to express a condition in the past. For example: “Si j’avais de l’argent, j’achèterais une nouvelle voiture.” (If I had money, I would buy a new car.) 

Narration

In storytelling or writing, the imparfait is frequently used to set the scene and describe ongoing actions while the passé composé is used for specific events or actions that interrupted the ongoing ones.
Understanding the French imperfect tense is crucial for effective communication in French. Without it, your conversations will always live in the present!

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb débrancher. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb imparfait conjugation!

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